Apparatus for friction welding

ABSTRACT

A friction welding apparatus and method wherein workpieces such as the center section and wheel bearing end spindles of a vehicle axle housing are frictionally welded together by rotating the end spindles and axially accelerating the rotating end spindles towards opposite ends of the center section, decelerating the advancing end spindles as they approach the center section so that they gently contact the center section, abruptly and materially increasing the axial thrust urging the rotating end spindles against the center section immediately upon contact, then gradually increasing the axial thrust applied to the rotating end spindles from the abruptly increased thrust level, stopping rotation of the end spindles, and abruptly increasing the axial thrust again to a much higher level and holding the axial engagement pressure at this last level until the welds, which are formed when the end spindles stop rotating, have cooled. A control and sequencing circuit provides for the automatic welding of the end spindles to the center section either simultaneously or sequentially.

United States Patent Inventor Alex F. Stamm Rochester, Mich.

Appl. No. 753,214

Filed Aug. 16, 1968 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 Assignee Rockwell-Standard Company Pittsburgh, Pa.

APPARATUS FOR FRICTION WELDING Primary Examiner-John F. Campbell Assistant ExaminerRobert J. Craig Attorneys.lohn R. Bronaugh and George R. Powers ABSTRACT: A friction welding apparatus and method wherein workpieces such as the center section and wheel bearing end spindles of a vehicle axle housing are frictionally welded together by rotating the end spindles and axially accelerating the rotating end spindles towards opposite ends of the center section, decelerating the advancing end spindles as they approach the center section so that they gently contact the center section, abruptly and materially increasing the axial thrust urging the rotating end spindles against the center section immediately upon contact, then gradually increasing the axial thrust applied to the rotating end spindles from the abruptly increased thrust level, stopping rotation of the end spindles, and abruptly increasing the axial thrust again to a much higher level and holding the axial engagement pressure at this last level until the welds, which are formed when the end spindles stop rotating, have cooled. A control and sequencing circuit provides for the automatic welding of the end spindles to the center section either simultaneously or sequentially.

"CLEARANCE PATENTEMmsmn 3570.740

sum 01 or 21 v INVENTOR. ALEX F. STAMM AT TOR/VF Y5 PATENTEDHARIBISYI v3570.740

saw 02 [1F 21 PATENTED MR1 slam SHEET 03 [1F mmvron. ALEX F. STA/WM ATTORNEYS PATENTEDHARISISYI 3 570 740 SHEET on a;

ATTORNE s SHEET 08 [1F 21 PATENTED MARI 6 I97! INVENTOR ALEXESTAMM' dl wu, Z a/ I I I I I l I l I I ,l SI

FII

J8 VA I J8 ATTORNEYS PATENIEU MARI 6197i SHEET 07 [1F 21 mum mmw

mm ONm mm mwm ALEX ESTAMM Q/Mmm 4w Nmm Qm PATENTEUHARTBIQ?! 3.570.740

SHEET 3 1 21 r TER l-EATER ON MASTER CONTROL ASTER CONTROL ON.

EMERGENCY RESET SPINDLE MOTOR .SPINDLE MOTOR L BEARING MOTOR 202 MOTOR 246 ORB-4 CENTER ENDS CENTER P CENTER ENDS ENDS PRESSURE TO CENTER CLAMPS CYCLE E ON OIL BEARING FWD. OR TRAVEL R.H. FWD. OR REV. TRAVEL TRAVEL DELA Y INVENTOR ALEX E STA/WM Qua ATTORNEYS m mm 5 SHEET L, 0F 2] CRMA-5 CRMA m M STER CRMA- 3 EPINDL PRESET SPINDLE PRESET Y RAUL.

CIRCUIT MOTOR STARTER L BIRG.

HYDRA CIRCUIT TOR 5mm" ER Bums STUP

R. H. OIL BRG,

' ToR I 4 ALEX sTAMM TTORNEYS 7 PATENTEU MAR 1 6 I97! CRA 28-1 SHEET EMERGENCY CLAMPENDS 'CLAMP ENTER UNCLAMF CENTER UNCLAMP ENDS START CYCLE 02%. T0 BEARINGS LEFT TRAVEL FWD. OR REV.

LEFT JOG GANGED TO SWITCH 926 a m I FWD.

CRAIG-4 INVENTOR.

ALEX F STAMM WMM42 W ATTORNEYS PATENTED MARI 6 N11 SHEE 15 UF 2] CRAG-iz CRAl0 q::1 v "rr'r e (M326 w R H JO FWD Elk J4 ism-EMU; g RH. JOG RET. cRAIQ-I 2 l l q E w RUNNING w i TIME PSIA PSIB l l M cRAn YE- .l E BRAKE HOLDOFIF MOTOR STAR'I'ING RELAY NETWORK SP'NDLE cRsAl-z ass cRsAz-z e37 -R ELAY mfi H SP'NDLE CRAl9-2 CRA 20-3 CRAB-3 TDA2 CRAI4 RELEASE BRAKE SEQUENCE ACTUATOR CYCLE CROSS OVER TIMER CYCLE CROSS CNER 1N VEN TOR.

ALEX F STAMM dwmm wm ATTORNEYS 

1. Apparatus for integrally joining by friction welding first and second workpieces to a third workpiece to form an integral article, said apparatus comprising: mounting means gripping and holding said third workpiece stationary, first rotating means gripping said first workpiece and capable of being actuated to rotate said first workpiece, second rotating means gripping said second workpiece and capable of being actuated to rotate said second workpiece, first force application means operatively connected to said first rotating means and capable of being actuated to move said first workpiece toward and into contact with said third workpiece, second force application means operatively connected to said second rotating means and capable of being actuated to move said second workpiece towards and into contact with said third workpiece, first control circuit means operatively connected to both said rotating means and both said force application means and manually energizable to actuate initially said first rotating means and said first force application means and subsequently to actuate said second rotating means and said second force application Means, and second control circuit means operatively connected to both said rotating means and said force application means and manually energizable to actuate simultaneously said first and second rotating means and said first and second force application means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein energizations of said first and second control circuit means are mutually exclusive.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said third workpiece is held between said first and second workpieces in alignment with a common axis about which both said first and second workpieces are rotated, said first and second force application means respectively applying forces along said axis to said first and second workpieces to displace said first and second workpieces into rubbing engagement with opposite ends of said third workpiece with sufficient pressure to render fusible and workpiece regions being rubbed together, whereby welds are formed at said regions when rotation of said first and second workpiece is stopped. 